Ford Mustang extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense
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Ford Mustangs are known to have average reliability, so extended warranty options could offer extra protection against unexpected repairs as the vehicle ages.
We’ll break down what a Ford Mustang warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Ford Mustangs come with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightQuotes we received for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 Mustang ranged from $1,039.80 to $4,169.77 a year. That’s more expensive than the average cost of an extended warranty.
Jump to insightFord has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on a Mustang gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightFord Mustang extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Mustang comes with. For context, Ford Mustangs come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a 2-year-old car with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 16,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Ford Mustang, you have two options:
- Buy the official Ford extended warranty, called Ford Protect Extended Service Plan.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your car to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
Only 41% of Americans have enough in savings to pay for a $1,000 car repair out of pocket, and 13% say they have no way to handle a bill that large — even by borrowing.
In either case, you’ll generally get the most value by purchasing whichever plan offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum). These plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive Gold, Silver and powertrain plans may be cheaper, but they tend to cover fewer parts per dollar.
Auto warranties only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from normal wear and tear, not from damage or accidents. Repairs generally aren’t covered under warranty if you don’t properly maintain the vehicle or you make aftermarket modifications.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
| Warranty type | Typically covered | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Bumper-to-bumper | ||
| Powertrain | Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Note that some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
How much does a Ford Mustang extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $4,169.77 a year from olive for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for a 2021 Ford Mustang registered in Austin, Texas, with 40,000 miles. From Endurance, the quote for similar coverage was $1,039.80 annually for 30 months of coverage for the same vehicle with the same mileage. Both quotes assumed a $100 deductible. Note that both of these are third-party extended auto warranty companies.
The “official” Ford extended warranty is called Ford Protect Extended Service Plan, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Ford dealer to compare your options.
In general, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Mustang with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
Prices for an extended auto warranty can vary a lot by company. Shop around to make sure that you're not getting overcharged.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Ford Mustang were more expensive by comparison.
A nonexclusionary plan may be around 40% cheaper than a bumper-to-bumper plan, but it also covers significantly fewer parts. If you want to feel more secure that you're covered for any given repair, it's worth going for the more expensive comprehensive plan.
Some third-party providers start counting the coverage at the time when you purchase the plan. For example, if you get a 36-month, 185,000-mile plan from olive, you're covered for three years after purchasing the plan, or when your vehicle hits 185,000 total miles. Other providers may start the timer from the original purchase date of the car. In that case, you'll have to subtract the car's current age and mileage (plus any remaining factory warranty) from the length of the plan to determine how long coverage will last.
Is a Ford Mustang extended warranty worth it?
Yes, a Ford Mustang extended warranty is worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Ford as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Ford 23rd out of 29 car brands for overall dependability. As for the Mustang specifically, RepairPal gave it a 3.5 out of 5.
Ford maintenance is more expensive than you might think as well. Combine the high upkeep costs with the likelihood of needing repairs and the reasonable prices we found for Ford Mustang extended warranties, and it means you’re likely to come out ahead by purchasing a protection plan.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Ford Mustang Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
